Strong Odorshttp://troydeshano.com
Editorial illustration and essay from Troy DeShano. Faith · Art · SmellsThu, 03 Aug 2017 02:24:03 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.639462707http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/strongodorshttps://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily RotationSubscribe with FlurrySubscribe with NewsAlloySubscribe with Attensa for OutlookThanks for subscribing to Strong Odors! Hope to enjoy ages of fragrances with you.Poor Young Pastor (A Parable)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/sH2rT1PP14U/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/faith/poor-young-pastor-parable/#respondThu, 03 Aug 2017 02:13:36 +0000http://troydeshano.com/?p=6883A young preacher is walking down Main St. of his town. He's a good-hearted fellow, and he is both humbled and proud of the success they've had as a church.

]]>A young preacher is walking down Main St. of his town. He’s a good-hearted fellow, and he is both humbled and proud of the success they’ve had as a church. From simple beginnings in a friend’s basement, the congregation has since grown into a marvelous facility with multiple services to fit the thousands who attend Sunday morning worship. They’ve seen wonderful growth in every demographic (new babies born regularly doesn’t hurt) as folks of all ages and backgrounds have been attracted to the exciting things happening in this place. The minister can’t help but say a mini prayer of “thank God” for such a blessed ministry.

He strives for “gospel-centric” teachings in his pulpit and studies with care. He condemns so-called “prosperity gospel,” and never even mentions money from the pulpit. As a symbol of appreciation for the significant and various hard work of all, he’d asked church elders to never make his salary any greater than the lowest-paid person on payroll.

He’s (most everyone would agree) just a really good guy.

The development of the entire ministry—building construction, programs, services—is designed with a particular emphasis on excellence. “God cares about the details,” he would say, “so we should too.” Distraction and discomfort were primary problems to be solved—and they’d done everything possible to make sure anyone, whether life-long churchgoers or first-time visitors, would feel comfortable on any given Sunday. Reducing the potential for anxiety or boredom or disinterest was key to preparing hearts for the movement of the Spirit.

He just wanted to reach as many people in his community as possible.

It was just as he was ruminating on some of these things, happy with where his church is headed and considering what strategic steps might be next, when he spotted an unusual stranger ahead on the sidewalk.

It was only as he drew near, he realized it was Jesus himself, right there in his town, on this street, today!

Dumbfounded at first, he fell to his knees, grasping for the right words…

Then awkwardly blurted his somewhat embarrassing, but truly honest question:

“Please tell me. What… really, must I do to be part of your Kingdom?”

Jesus offered the man his hand and helped him to his feet.

“You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'”

“But of course, Jesus! I do these things as best I can, and teach the same to my people. But faith is more than just a list of rules, isn’t it? It’s a journey, it’s about grace, and seeking God, right? There is so much disparity among scholars, how can I know the right path?”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go. Sell your church building. Sell the multimedia equipment and the church van and the basketball hoops and the espresso machines and liquidate your church-branded merch. Cancel your marketing contract. Cash out your mutual fund and your endowment and other investments.”

“Then give all to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me.”

At this the young minister’s face fell. And he went away sad.

Because he just wanted to reach as many people in his community as possible.

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/faith/poor-young-pastor-parable/feed/06883http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/faith/poor-young-pastor-parable/One Great Folk Song To Save Them Allhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/cCAwOwy6Vk4/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/music/one-great-folk-song-save/#respondWed, 04 Jan 2017 00:32:56 +0000http://troydeshano.com/?p=6712We need a song right now. Even a chorus might have the power to bring us all together. When fear and greed and self-preservation are our greatest values, everything and everyone “other” becomes either a commodity or a casualty. If we continue to shout and not hear, if we continue to exclude, if we continue to hate, if we continue ...

When fear and greed and self-preservation are our greatest values, everything and everyone “other” becomes either a commodity or a casualty.

If we continue to shout and not hear, if we continue to exclude, if we continue to hate, if we continue to fear… to posture ourselves as “us” and “them”…

Great darkness lies ahead.

Pete Seeger said something like “if you want to change the world, get people singing together.”

I’ve never sung anywhere without giving the people listening a chance to join in. Participation, that’s what’s gonna save the human race.

When one person taps out a beat, while another leads into a melody, or when three people discover a harmony they never knew existed, or when a crowd joins in on a chorus as though to raise the ceiling a few feet higher, then they also know… there is hope for the world. Pete Seeger

With half my neighbors on one side and half on the other, I want a pied piper to part the waters and lead us together on dry ground.

It’s silly to think we can all just set everything aside right now and hug it out.

That would be just pretend.

There’s a time for “Masters of War” and there’s a time for “Teen Spirit” and there’s a time for “Fight the Power” and there’s a time for “Ohio” and there’s even a time for “Mambo No 5.”

Just kidding, there’s never a time for “Mambo No 5.”

We may have to get through those protests first before healing can begin.

But I’m quite certain we’ll need a song of truth and peace and love and humanity to light the way beyond.

]]>My favorite music this year is relatively predictable, but has been marked by a few things:

First is the glaring exceptions. Despite the inclusion of the obvious (Radiohead, Bon Iver, Weezer, Chance), there were several releases by some of my “favorite” artists (Andrew Bird, Avett Brothers, Band of Horses, Wilco) that just failed to connect where I’m at right at this very moment in time.

Another (I suppose) omission would have to be Lemonade. Even though I’ve never actually listened to an entire Beyonce song all the way through, I certainly would have given this much-buzzed new album a try… but since it’s not on any major streaming source, I just never really had the chance.

What really marks my favorites this year is sadness.

Not that it’s all sad music. But it’s been a very difficult year for me in a lot of ways. This soundtrack has accompanied my mourning, despair, tears, disorientation, and the slivers of hope and faith in-between to which I hang as firmly as I can (even if just by a fingernail).

We’re still here. And we must go forward (despite the contrary political rhetoric).

Margaret Glaspy, Dinosaur Jr. The Go Rounds, Kanye, Lucious, Nada Surf, Hinds, Tribe Called Quest, Frank Ocean, and more are included in my “heavy rotation” playlist. All of these were a big part of my year, but I guess just not quite in my top 10.

2016 Favorite Albums:

In no particular order

Chance the Rapper

Coloring Book
Through many dark moments in 2016, this restored my faith. Many praise-hands raised in our house thanks to Chance the Rapper.

High Highs

Cascades
This album feels like dawn breaking upon a sleepless night. Everything is ok. You’re going to be ok.

angel olsen

My Woman
“I don’t care what the papers say. You still gotta wake up and be someone… I just want to be alive, make something real.”

Radiohead

A Moon Shaped Pool
Many, many times this year when I was right on the verge of a breakdown… holding back tears or emotion or whatever… “True Love Waits” put me right over the edge. And it was a good thing.

Weezer

Weezer (the white album)
Sorry can’t help it. Listened to this a lot. “Thank God For Girls” falls among Weezer’s greatest songs.

Bon Iver

22, A Million
This Bon Iver album has also proven to be a spiritual respite for a burdensome year. This is the kind of record you should own on vinyl so we can still listen to it after the impending apocalypse.

Daughter

Not To Disappear
We have very long, cold, icy, snowy winters here in northern Michigan. When she sings “I feel numb in this kingdom,” it takes on multiple meanings for those of us who haven’t seen sunshine for weeks.

Blood Orange

Freetown Sound
Complicated, complex, confusing, good.

Michael Kiwanuka

Love & Hate
A mix of old and new soul that works. In contrast to complexity of Blood Orange, it’s the simplicity of this record that keeps it on repeat for me.

RY X

Dawn
Hard to call it my favorite, compared to Radiohead and Bon Iver, but this was probably my “most-played” album of the year. It is sad and quiet and introspective. Like a survival kit for 2016.

I felt I had to do something to demonstrate just how racist the Cleveland Indians red man logo is, yet continues to be defended by fans and the organization and Major League Baseball. It was an attempt to demonstrate how blatant, explicit racism toward Native Americans is totally acceptable in our culture.

As I was creating this image—which had been bouncing around in my head for a while, but increasingly as the Indians progressed through the playoffs—it became entirely clear that it would be very offensive.

In fact, I can hardly see it myself without feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

And that is exactly why I decided to share it.

Because it is the responsibility of an artist to offend.

Those who know me best understood the “why” of this image. Because they have an intimate understanding of who I am as a person and my desire to challenge others for the sake of a better world.

A few shared or liked the post. Some others objected for good reason.

To be honest, I objected myself at various points throughout the day.

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” I was wondering… “Just another privileged white dude sticking his white nose where it doesn’t belong. Exploiting one people group in a pragmatic attempt to stick up for another—neither of which asked for or needs the help of a no-name excuse-for-an-artist from basically-nowhere, Michigan.”

How, I kept asking myself, could I share something so disgusting, even with the best of intentions?

Maybe I shouldn’t have. Maybe it’s none of my business. Maybe it was wrong of me.

It probably was.

But I did.

Here’s the thing. I don’t even follow baseball.

But that official Cleveland Indians red man logo is disgusting, and I wanted to show why.

For anyone shocked by the “Cleveland Negroes” image I created (which should be everyone), consider the fact that one of the top teams in Major-frickin-League Baseball in the year 2016 is using an equally offensive image everywhere—from team jerseys, to merchandise, etc. etc. etc.

And no one notices.

(well not no one, but no one important enough seems to care enough to change it because $$$$$$)

In fact a million people are walking around with that red guy on their hats and t-shirts right now. Can you imagine walking into a ballpark with thousands of those “Negro” characters splattered across everyone’s chest? The players uniforms? Plush toys?

I could spend all day talking about the Indians logo being offensive (and people have been for years), but words don’t seem to be strong enough.

So reluctantly I pay my dues as an artist. I’ll be the one to say through art that thing so many seem to be unable to hear.

And those of us who cringe at my image above, but fail to have the same reaction at the thousands of red-face World Series posts in our feeds this week, we are guilty as well.

To my African-American friends,

Some of you may be angry that the above image even exists, and offended greatly by my willingness to publish it. I hope you can offer me some grace in this area. I certainly cannot understand what kind of emotions are spurred by caricatures like the one above, and I do apologize for my acting ignorantly.

I hope we can unite in our desire to fight racism—not just that against black Americans, but for Native, Asian, Latino and other people groups that deserve better. Sometimes it takes bold, even ill-advised moves like this to get white folks to understand.

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/theres-no-racism-in-baseball/feed/06673http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/theres-no-racism-in-baseball/Respect Nativeshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/nb8WnUSihls/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/respect-natives/#respondWed, 19 Oct 2016 10:45:34 +0000http://troydeshano.com/?p=6637My good friend T.C. Worley recently visited North Dakota to see for himself the protests surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline and hopefully capture some photos from what may be the largest gathering of Native Americans in over 100 years. And he did, in fact, manage to take what I believe to be the most beautiful and important photo of his ...

But instead of simply seeing, he came back a new man. He has been totally changed by his experience with these people.

I won’t attempt to write an in-depth post on racial oppression of native peoples that literally stretches back to DAY ONE and persists still. There are plenty of more intelligent and informative works already out there than I could spit out. I won’t go on a diatribe about how any company with a Columbus Day sale is despicably racist in doing so (though I’d love to preach on that).

I’m just going to share this image.

It’s about 400 years of oppression they have endured. It’s about the long-overdue respect they deserve, and their ancestors are owed. It is also inspired by their great respect for this earth and all the things in it.

Share it wherever. Challenge with this message. Wear it Proudly.
Don’t worry about artist credit. It doesn’t matter.

If you’re interested in RESPECT stickers, they are in the works. I’ll announce details on Facebook and Twitter once they’re ready.

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/respect-natives/feed/06637http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/respect-natives/Tweet is Just the Tiphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/mTJnVTl6Mjw/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/tweet-just-tip/#respondFri, 08 Jul 2016 14:24:07 +0000http://troydeshano.com/NEW/?p=6581Tweeting, posting, saying #blacklivesmatter is a good thing. But just the very tip of an iceberg of action that must happen for real change. What can be done? What are some actions people can take to chip away at this enormous problem?

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/tweet-just-tip/feed/06581http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/tweet-just-tip/Go Ahead Evangelicals, Vote for Trumphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/opG5LqB0pD8/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/politics/go-ahead-vote-trump/#respondMon, 13 Jun 2016 13:55:56 +0000http://troydeshano.com/NEW/?p=6476I support the right of my evangelical friends and family to vote for a person like Donald Trump. If you share his values, support his policies, and believe he is somehow the most qualified person for the job, then please exercise your right and vote for your man.

But as someone who takes his Christian faith quite seriously, I'd like to ask one simple favor.

]]>*Disclaimer: Don’t be fooled by the title. I’m not a Trump supporter, this is about something else.*

I support the right of my evangelical friends and family to vote for a person like Donald Trump. If you share his values, support his policies, and believe he is somehow the most qualified person for the job, then please exercise your right and vote for your man.

But as someone who takes his Christian faith quite seriously, I’d like to ask one simple favor.

Can we please stop pretending your vote is in any way informed by your faith?

Even if you set aside his personal moral shortcomings (something 90s slick-willy-outcriers seem surprisingly quick to do these days), you’d be hard-pressed to find any common values shared between Jesus Christ and Donald Trump. While Jesus is always on the side of the oppressed, marginalized, meek, and excluded… Don is clearly on the side of the privileged, rich, oppressive, exclusive, hateful majority (and more specifically, he’s simply on the side of The Donald).

In fact, I challenge anyone to find a single one of Trump’s values that falls in line with Jesus’.

While Jesus said “you cannot serve both God and money,” Trump pulls no punches on his choice “I’m very greedy. I’m a greedy person. I love money.” Jesus promised deliverance from fear, while Donald perpetuates and exploits it in every way possible (and it’s working out fabulously for his campaign).

The only thing they have in common is the preference for women “on their knees”, but I’m pretty sure Don’s not talking about prayer.

Here’s the thing. Obviously the guy has struck a chord with many. He’s brought the fears of the masses to light, and offers a return to “greatness” for white people all around the country. I understand why that might resonate with so many of my evangelical friends.

Fine.

If you believe policies that favor corporate welfare over public are best for the nation, support it. If you trust more war will bring more peace, go for it. If you think violent retribution is best for anyone who steps out of line, knock em dead.

And it’s frustrating for someone like me, who is unashamed to call himself “Christian” to consider I may need to come up with a new label. Because if Christianity is somehow represented in anything Donald Trump stands for, I can’t be a part of that club.

Anyone But Hillary. Really?… Anyone?

To be fair, most my evangelical friends are feeling lost and frustrated with their political party. They despise the man, but don’t see any other recourse but to vote for him anyway, because they so desperately want to keep Hillary Clinton out of office. In fact, the same is true of many Democrats who are less-than-comfortable with Hillary’s record on war and relationship to corporate money, but feel they must cast a vote “against” Donald Trump.

At what point in America’s history did an individual’s vote become “against” something rather than “for” something?

I would challenge all my friends, regardless of political posture to cast your votes for those policies and people you feel most worthy. I challenge you to walk out of the voting booth proud of your decision, whatever it may be.

But this question: if you feel you can’t escape choosing “lesser of two evils,” and you really, truly claim to vote according to your biblical principles… can you still, honestly say Donald Trump is lesser?

It’s true. Hillary has given us reason to doubt her honor. She is a politician, after all.

But she is someone who, despite her own faults (or the pragmatic choices she’s made to survive as a woman in politics), wants to support other women, help the poor, and lift up the oppressed. She wants less violence. She desires more opportunities and better education for kids.

This is once again, in stark contrast to Trump’s plan to squash the weak, ban the others, limit religious freedoms for those outside the lines, torture prisoners, and his personal record of mocking the disabled, disrespecting women, racism, promoting excess and debauchery, exploiting addictions, and god-knows how many human rights offenses around the globe in support of his brand and products.

So hate Hillary if you want. I truly understand.

But if the teachings of Jesus are your benchmark, and “evil-ness” is your primary factor, can even she really be considered the more evil of the two?

(Again, “evil” isn’t your only option. Make another choice if you must.)

Or maybe you have to admit it’s her policies you hate. You don’t want to give up your assault weapons. You don’t want to give away health care. You want gays to keep it in the closet. You don’t want anyone to have an abortion, ever.

What About Abortion

It’s no secret this is one big issue most evangelicals consider black-and-white enough to trump all others. As someone who greatly values human life in all forms, I understand.

But I suppose I’d ask you to consider a couple things.

First, to entertain the notion Donald Trump would or could stop abortions is silly.

Second, to consider abortion anything less than an incredibly complex issue is failing it the serious consideration it requires. It is easy to say “abortion is murder,” without considering the effect of unwanted pregnancy on women, raising unwanted children, giving away an infant you’ve carried for nine months, the look of a rapist’s eyes in your child, the guilt that comes with a failure to love a child, the inherently unfair option for men to simply walk away, and on and on. I say all this not necessarily in justification of abortion practice, but in fair recognition that it isn’t as simple as either side of the debate would like.

Third, it’s ridiculous to think Trump would or could stop abortions.

Did I already mention this? Seriously though. If abortion is the one thing you care about, this dude is not your answer.

Finally, could you consider there may be a better way to reduce abortion in the U.S.? For example, I believe better education and greater access to health services (including and especially contraception) for all girls and women are key ingredients to reducing unwanted pregnancies.

In another appeal to cast your vote “for” something, rather than against, consider using your power to vote for those things that not only potentially lower abortion rates, but also offer greater opportunities for our daughters to live more healthy, informed and powerful lives.

I’m Afraid Of…

A ha. That’s just the thing, right? We are a fearful nation, and evangelicals in particular have become an ironically fearful bunch. Which is exactly what Donald Trump wants. He wants you to fear Muslims, he wants you to fear losing “what’s yours,” he wants you to fear powerful women, he wants you to fear “the blacks” and Mexicans. Because the more you fear, the more votes he gets for that myth of former greatness he’s created.

But your Bible says “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”

Not to say that fear is in and of itself evil. Fear is as natural a human emotion as any other, and many fears are fully rational and justifiable.

But throughout the Bible is a persistent message that fear is often founded in lies. The Apostle Paul reminded his protégé Timothy “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control,” and encouraged him not to necessarily avoid suffering at all costs—for example, to the point of denying or oppressing others—but rather to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”

Your fears should be taken seriously. But stop for a minute to consider if your fears are misplaced.

Is it possible your vote is informed not by your faith, but by your fear?

If you’re ok with that… go ahead and vote Trump. Just leave Jesus out of it.

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/politics/go-ahead-vote-trump/feed/06476http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/politics/go-ahead-vote-trump/No, No, No, No, No.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/uO9janXkBkY/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/cancer/no-no-no-cancer/#respondSun, 29 May 2016 02:08:14 +0000http://troydeshano.com/NEW/?p=6498In the sixteen years since I was first diagnosed with cancer, and the decade since my last treatment, there have been a handful of times when Cancer has returned to punch me in the gut.

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/cancer/no-no-no-cancer/feed/06498http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/cancer/no-no-no-cancer/Bowiehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/-aPg-i5c9DA/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/music/bowie/#respondMon, 11 Jan 2016 14:04:02 +0000http://troydeshano.com/NEW/?p=6424David Bowie is the kind of person who just by being, spawns new artists every day.

]]>http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/music/bowie/feed/06424http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/music/bowie/Strong Odors Favorite Albums 2015http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/strongodors/~3/oJqjN8DJt-E/
http://troydeshano.com/strong-odors/culture/music/strong-odors-favorite-albums-2015/#respondSat, 12 Dec 2015 17:56:38 +0000http://troydeshano.com/NEW/?p=6365I’m always totally impressed anyone can narrow down a list of annual favorite albums to just ten. I have done it myself, but most years I just list a bunch of favorites without much regard for how many actually are included (seventeen last year, twenty-one favs in 2013). So this year I challenged myself to refine the list to ten. ...

It wasn’t easy… but I got it to 11 (which I guess is a little more rock-and-roll). I was apparently really into female-led groups this year—including Hop Along with my very favorite album—but obviously Sufjan is going to be in there, and Leon Bridges is my super man-crush forever now.

Of course, the only way I got it to a reasonable eleven favorite albums for 2015 was by creating a second playlist of “heavy rotation” records that are definitely among my favorites, but I guess not quite in the top 11. Some super awesome stuff in there, including Tame Impala, Alabama Shakes, Torres, Bill Ryder-Jones and my favorite rap album this year (sorry not Kendrick)—The Good Fight by Oddisee.

2015 Favorite Albums:

Waxahatchee

Ivy Trip
One of several awesome femaile-led 90s-inspired garage-rock records that totally dominated my playlist this year. Can’t get enough!

Brandi Carlile

The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Best new music from Brandi since 2009.

Courtney Barnett

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
This one gets better with each listen. Desperately want to see Courtney in concert.

Dan Deacon

Glass Riffer
My gateway drug into electronic music.

Hop Along

Painted Shut
Courtney Barnett might’ve made the most critically praised alt-rock record, but I just love Frances Quinlan’s voice so much—so this one was my favorite record this year, and my go-to all summer long..

Leon Bridges

Coming Home
What can I say about Leon Bridges? This is the music that flows in my veins. Came out of freaking nowhere and I can’t get enough.

Lianne La Havas

Blood
Was lucky a brother passed this on, or I’d have missed it altogether. Can play Lianne at pretty much any given moment and it hits the spot.

Metavari

Moonless
Not sure this would’ve been on my list, had I not seen these guys perform. Hooked for good from that point.

SOAK

Before We Forgot To Dream
Every song is so fantastic. Amazing work for teenage musician.

Sufjan Stevens

Carrie & Lowell
It’s hard to say anything about this record without getting emotional.

Thunderbitch

Thunderbitch
Alabama Shakes was a big part of my summer soundtrack this year, but I actually loved this side project just a bit more. Rock and Roll, man.